Student buys two of Manchester’s top bars in his first business venture

Chris Payne, a student at Manchester Business School, will run the venues under his  newly created company  VCP Taverns ltd.

Payne, who has been working in pubs since he was 16, will be joined by his partner of six years Carla McMaster, 22, as the corporate events and marketing manager. His friend Thomas Leonard, 24, has been taken on as the group operations manager, overseeing the daily running of both bars, which currently employ 25 people.

He said: “We had been looking for the right opportunity for the business so when we learned Taps and Epernay were for sale, we jumped at the chance to buy them. Both are fantastic establishments that are well-known in the city each offering different experiences.

“At Taps you are drawn in with the incredible range of different beers on tap – 16 in total, which you can also pour yourself on the ‘beer wall’. Alternatively, Epernay offers a luxurious service, providing world class cocktails in a beautiful setting. They are both distinct and offer great service to customers.”

Payne secured a loan through Natwest as part of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme.